System for conditioning fuel for supplying an aircraft turbomachine, aircraft and method of use

Abstract

A system for conditioning fuel configured to supply a main turbomachine, based on fuel from a cryogenic tank, comprising a pump configured to operate at a predetermined constant speed, at least one heat exchanger, a supply member for supplying the main turbomachine with a fuel flow, the supply member being configured to deliver a nominal flow rate when the pump is operating at a predetermined constant speed, at least one buffer tank, a first valve for controlling the supply of fuel to the buffer tank, a second valve for controlling the distribution of the fuel flew flow and a regulating device that is configured to open the second valve when the setpoint flow rate is higher than the nominal flow rate.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for conditioning fuel configured to supply a main turbomachine of an aircraft, with fuel from a cryogenic tank, the main turbomachine having a setpoint flow rate of fuel, which is according to the phase of movement of the aircraft, the conditioning system comprising:
 a fuel circuit connected at the inlet to the cryogenic tank and at an outlet to the main turbomachine, 
 a pump configured to circulate a fuel flow from upstream to downstream in the fuel circuit, the pump being configured to operate at a predetermined constant speed, 
 at least one heat exchanger configured to transmit calories from a hot source to the fuel flow via a heating circuit, 
 a supply member of the main turbomachine with a fuel flow, the supply member defining a predetermined flow cross-section, the supply member being configured to provide a nominal supply flow rate when the pump operates at a predetermined constant speed, 
 at least one buffer tank configured to supply the main turbomachine parallel to the supply member, the buffer tank being configured to be supplied by a fuel flow, 
 at least one first valve for controlling the supply of the fuel flow to the buffer tank, 
 at least one second valve for controlling the distribution of the fuel flow from the buffer tank, and 
 a regulating device configured to open the second valve when the setpoint flow rate is higher than the nominal supply flow rate. 
 
     
     
       2. The system for conditioning fuel according to  claim 1 , wherein the regulating device is configured to close the second valve when the setpoint flow rate is lower than the nominal supply flow rate. 
     
     
       3. The system for conditioning fuel according to  claim 1 , wherein the regulating device is configured to close the first valve when the setpoint flow rate is higher than the nominal supply flow rate. 
     
     
       4. The system for conditioning fuel according to  claim 1 , wherein, the first valve having a configurable degree of opening, the regulating device is configured to vary the degree of opening of the first valve according to a comparison between the nominal supply flow rate and the setpoint flow rate. 
     
     
       5. The system for conditioning fuel according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one auxiliary heat exchanger mounted between the second valve and the main turbomachine so as to heat the fuel flow prior to the fuel flow being injected into the main turbomachine. 
     
     
       6. The system for conditioning fuel according to  claim 1 , wherein the hot source is an auxiliary power generation device supplied by the fuel circuit. 
     
     
       7. The system for conditioning fuel according to  claim 6 , wherein the auxiliary power generation device is configured to operate at a constant speed. 
     
     
       8. The system for conditioning fuel according to  claim 6 , wherein the auxiliary power generation device is at least one of an auxiliary turbomachine and a fuel cell. 
     
     
       9. The system for conditioning fuel according to  claim 6 , further comprising at least one propulsion member and a drive system of said propulsion member, the drive system being configured to be supplied by the main turbomachine and by the auxiliary power generation device. 
     
     
       10. The system for conditioning fuel according to  claim 1 , wherein the fuel is dihydrogen. 
     
     
       11. The system for conditioning fuel according to  claim 1 , wherein the nominal supply flow rate is determined to be higher than the setpoint flow rate in a cruising phase and lower than the setpoint flow rate in a take-off phase. 
     
     
       12. A method for supplying fuel from a cryogenic tank of an aircraft to a main turbomachine of the aircraft, the main turbomachine having a setpoint flow rate of fuel, which is according to a movement phase of the aircraft, the method comprising the steps of:
 circulating a fuel flow from upstream to downstream in a fuel circuit by means of a pump operating at a predetermined constant speed, the pump providing a nominal supply flow rate by using a supply member, 
 transmitting calories from a hot source to the fuel flow via a heating circuit, and 
 emptying a buffer tank, supplied by the fuel circuit, when the setpoint flow rate is higher than the nominal supply flow rate to supply the main turbomachine in parallel with the supply member.